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How ranked-choice voting will decide Maine's 2nd Congressional District

How ranked-choice voting will decide Maine's 2nd Congressional District

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Updated: 5:16 PM EST Nov 7, 2018

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WEBVTT ELECTION IN A CLOSE RACE WITH THE EYES OF THE NATION WATCHING. AFTER A BITTER CAMPAIGN BATTLE, MAINE’S SECOND DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE WILL BE DECIDED BY A RANKED CHOICE VOTING TALLY. WE WOULD BE SENDING OUT THE COURIER SERVICE TO START COLLECTING THE BALLO AND THE DEVICES. TYLER: COLLECTION WILL START TOMORROW. VOTER INFO WILL BE UNSEALED AND TABULATED STARTING FRIDAY. THIS IS WHAT THE PROCESS LOOK LIKE DURING THE JUNE PRIMARIES. IT IS A FAIRLY TEDIOUS PROCESS. MAKE SURE ALL YOUR TEASER CROSSED AND EYES ARE DOTTED. TYLER: THE OUTCOME HINDERS ON HOW PEOPLE VOTED FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF THEIR TOP CHOICE RANKED THE OTHER CANDIDATES IF THEY RANKED THEM AT ALL. ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE IS MY OPINION. TYLER: SHE OPTED TO STICK WITH THE ONE CHOICE VOTING METHOD. THEY STOPPED, THEY DO NOT RANK. THE BALLOT WOULD BE EXHAUSTED AND THEY WOULD BE DONE. TYLER: THOSE WHO GAVE INDEPENDENCE THEIR TOP RANKING WOULD HAVE THEIR VOTE REASSIGNED TO THEIR NEXT FIX. IN THIS CASE THAT WILL END UP BEING POLIQUIN OR GOLDEN. IT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE A FEW DAYS. WE MAY NOT HAVE A WINNER UNTIL SOMETIME NEXT WEEK. THE TABULATING WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE BUILDING BEHIND ME. IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS PROCESS WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC STARTING ON FRIDAY IF YOU’RE INTERESTED TO WATCH I

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How ranked-choice voting will decide Maine's 2nd Congressional District

With no candidate receiving a majority of votes in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, the race will be decided by ranked choice.

A few hundred votes separated incumbent Rep. Bruce Poliquin and Jared Golden after nearly 300,000 votes were cast. Independents Tiffany Bond and William Hoar finished third and fourth.

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The Maine Secretary of State's Office said the ranked-choice process will begin on Thursday when the collection of ballots from across the state begins.

The ballots will be brought to Augusta, where tabulating will begin on Friday. Officials said tabulating will take place on Saturday and on Monday and continue until all ballots are accounted for.

"It is a fairly tedious process to go through. You've gotta get all your ducks in a row. Make sure all your T's are crossed and I's are dotted, because you want to make sure you get everyone's vote counted accurately," Director of Communications Kristen Muszynski said.

The votes will be tabulated in rounds, with the lowest-ranked candidates eliminated in each round until there are only two candidates left.

In the 2nd District, Hoar will be eliminated first, followed by Bond. Votes will be reassigned based on the second and third choices on their ballots. Unranked ballots would be exhausted.

The candidate who is determined to have received the majority of the votes is declared the winner.